Wash your hands, sneeze into your sleeve, don't touch your face, no hand shaking, stay home when you get sick, get the flu shot, and the list of avoiding the flu goes on.
But what about the foods we eat and the lifestyle choices we make? Can they contribute to our ability to fight off the flu? Yes they can.
Getting enough sleep, reducing stress levels, not over indulging in the alcoholic beverage department, and eating healthy foods contributes to a healthy immune system.
Here's a list of foods to help keep your immune system up and running during the cold and flu season.
If you still aren't eating 7-10 servings of fruits and veggies a day, now is a great time to start.
Broccoli has always been one of the best vegetables to reach for. Any of its family members - cabbage, cauliflower, bok choy, and Brussels sprouts are all fabulous veggies to eat on a regular basis. Try stir frying, steaming or eating these veggies raw. It's a great season to embrace cole slaw.
Dark green leafy vegetables like kale, spinach and romaine are also on the yes list.
The entire family of seasonally available dark orange fruits and vegetables - pumpkin, squash, sweet potatoes, and dried apricots are sources of Vitamin C, an immune enhancer. Try getting at least 2-3 servings from this group every day.
Eating garlic on a regular basis will not only help reduce your chances of developing heart disease but it also exhibits antiviral properties. Try adding crushed garlic to a salad dressing or adding chopped garlic to a stir fry, a soup, or just about anything savoury.
Herbs and spices like cinnamon, cloves, oregano, and rosemary are all excellent at bumping up your immune system by killing a wide array of viruses and bacteria. Sprinkle cinnamon on yogurt, apples, or your cereal. Add oregano to your pasta sauce and rosemary to any meat dish or roasted potato dish. Try adding cloves, allspice and cinnamon sticks to a pot of tea or try making Chai - an Indian tea loaded with spices; for a recipe click on www.mairlynsmith.com. Go to my home page and click on Seasonal Recipes at the top of the page for the recipe.
Tea. Try black, green or oolong. According to the Tea Association of Canada, 'Over the past 15 years, research has found that drinking black, green or oolong tea may offer some protection from cardiovascular disease and cancer, lead to reduced risk of kidney stones, and strengthen bones, teeth and the immune system.'
All mushrooms contain beta-glucans, a complex carbohydrate glucose molecule or polysaccharide, which is a type of soluble fibre. These appear to not only have anti-inflammatory qualities but they can help rev up your immune system by creating disease fighting T-cells. Shiitake mushrooms are available at your local grocery store and happen to be one of the best mushrooms for revving up your immune system. Add to soups and stir fries.
Get your zinc! Zinc is an extremely important mineral for immune function. Your best bets are in beef - choose extra lean, lamb, poultry (the dark meat has higher concentrations), and oysters. You can also choose raw pumpkin seeds, dairy products, peanuts, beans and legumes and mushrooms.
According to Dr. Mehmet Oz and his associate Dr. Michael Roizen getting 1,000 international units (IU) of vitamin D3 every day is vital as well. A Harvard study agrees with them. Vitamin D helps produce cathelicidin, a protein with virus-killing qualities. We get Vitamin D in fish and fortified dairy products and from the sunshine. But that golden orb in the sky is in low supply in Canada during the winter months and most people do not consume enough dairy and fish on a regular basis so supplements are advised.
Laughter may be on your doctor's prescription pad in the future. Laughter increases the effectiveness of your killer T-cells which in turns enhances your immune system.
If you ever needed a reason to kick start your health and begin a healthy diet, now is the time. Embrace Canada's Food Guide; get 7-8 hours of sleep every night, cut back on alcohol, stay active, have a really good laugh every day and don't forget to wash your hands.
But what about the foods we eat and the lifestyle choices we make? Can they contribute to our ability to fight off the flu? Yes they can.
Getting enough sleep, reducing stress levels, not over indulging in the alcoholic beverage department, and eating healthy foods contributes to a healthy immune system.
Here's a list of foods to help keep your immune system up and running during the cold and flu season.
If you still aren't eating 7-10 servings of fruits and veggies a day, now is a great time to start.
Broccoli has always been one of the best vegetables to reach for. Any of its family members - cabbage, cauliflower, bok choy, and Brussels sprouts are all fabulous veggies to eat on a regular basis. Try stir frying, steaming or eating these veggies raw. It's a great season to embrace cole slaw.
Dark green leafy vegetables like kale, spinach and romaine are also on the yes list.
The entire family of seasonally available dark orange fruits and vegetables - pumpkin, squash, sweet potatoes, and dried apricots are sources of Vitamin C, an immune enhancer. Try getting at least 2-3 servings from this group every day.
Eating garlic on a regular basis will not only help reduce your chances of developing heart disease but it also exhibits antiviral properties. Try adding crushed garlic to a salad dressing or adding chopped garlic to a stir fry, a soup, or just about anything savoury.
Herbs and spices like cinnamon, cloves, oregano, and rosemary are all excellent at bumping up your immune system by killing a wide array of viruses and bacteria. Sprinkle cinnamon on yogurt, apples, or your cereal. Add oregano to your pasta sauce and rosemary to any meat dish or roasted potato dish. Try adding cloves, allspice and cinnamon sticks to a pot of tea or try making Chai - an Indian tea loaded with spices; for a recipe click on www.mairlynsmith.com. Go to my home page and click on Seasonal Recipes at the top of the page for the recipe.
Tea. Try black, green or oolong. According to the Tea Association of Canada, 'Over the past 15 years, research has found that drinking black, green or oolong tea may offer some protection from cardiovascular disease and cancer, lead to reduced risk of kidney stones, and strengthen bones, teeth and the immune system.'
All mushrooms contain beta-glucans, a complex carbohydrate glucose molecule or polysaccharide, which is a type of soluble fibre. These appear to not only have anti-inflammatory qualities but they can help rev up your immune system by creating disease fighting T-cells. Shiitake mushrooms are available at your local grocery store and happen to be one of the best mushrooms for revving up your immune system. Add to soups and stir fries.
Get your zinc! Zinc is an extremely important mineral for immune function. Your best bets are in beef - choose extra lean, lamb, poultry (the dark meat has higher concentrations), and oysters. You can also choose raw pumpkin seeds, dairy products, peanuts, beans and legumes and mushrooms.
According to Dr. Mehmet Oz and his associate Dr. Michael Roizen getting 1,000 international units (IU) of vitamin D3 every day is vital as well. A Harvard study agrees with them. Vitamin D helps produce cathelicidin, a protein with virus-killing qualities. We get Vitamin D in fish and fortified dairy products and from the sunshine. But that golden orb in the sky is in low supply in Canada during the winter months and most people do not consume enough dairy and fish on a regular basis so supplements are advised.
Laughter may be on your doctor's prescription pad in the future. Laughter increases the effectiveness of your killer T-cells which in turns enhances your immune system.
If you ever needed a reason to kick start your health and begin a healthy diet, now is the time. Embrace Canada's Food Guide; get 7-8 hours of sleep every night, cut back on alcohol, stay active, have a really good laugh every day and don't forget to wash your hands.
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